Blackboard Course sites offer a safe and secure way to bring your instructional resources online, but this is truly enhanced when the conversation continues outside the classroom. Each course site can foster collaboration through limited-access tools for class-wide and groups collaboration (Wikis), diary-style commentary (Blogs), topical discussions (Discussion Board Forums) and one-to-one communication (Journals) for individual instructor-to-student dialogue.

Please take a look at the following document (Click Here) which will help you get acquainted with the Blackboard system and the interactive Social Learning tools available in each course. A specific examination of prompts for Journal entries can be found here.

GROUPS

Each of the social learning options are available for class-wide use and for limited access in groups. Blackboard now offers options for self-enrollment in groups, for options such as self-selected assignments, as well as a manual enroll option if you wish to assign specific group enrollments.

Click Here for a document explaining how to set up Groups.

NEW INTERACTIVE TOOLS AND MEDIA

You may also wish to take advantage of the many interactive tools available that can be integrated into Blackboard Course sites. These tools can help to enhance presentations, foster realtime collaboration and allow personal expression while creating engaging course materials and assignment submissions.

Click Here for an exploration of some of these tools, and how to integrate them into your Blackboard Course.

TWITTER

To take the academic conversation to a dynamic new level, consider creating a Twitter feed or hashtag for your course. Twitter feeds are publicly visible, available in real-time, and can easily accommodate guests, former or prospective students, and additional faculty. And you guessed it! They can be embedded into Blackboard Courses as well.

To examine the basics of creating Twitter feeds and using them in your Blackboard Course, click here.